What's up with Ziva?
by Adiver
Summary: Ziva walks into the bullpen with a scar running down her face. A lack of cases, food and sleep finally wear her down. She is homesick and scared. Who will she turn to and why is she upset? Pls R&R.
1. Scars

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own any of the characters apart from Mike (you don't need to know about him yet). Please review and I will write more.

1.

Ziva walked into the bullpen. She had just taken a week leave. This was unusual but Tony and Mcgee were not worried. They were worried now. There was a long scar running down her face. It had black stitches and looked jagged around the edges. One of her eyes was black and she was thinner and looked as though she had not eaten or slept in a while. Tony and Mcgee looked at her, shocked. They had never seen Ziva in such a state. They looked at each other, 'You ask!' mouthed Mcgee. 'You' mouthed Tony. 'No, you!' mouthed Mcgee. 'You' mouthed Tony. He stood up.

"Ziva? What happened to you?" he said boldly preparing himself for an outburst of Hebrew.

"Nothing." Said Ziva quietly not making eye contact.

Tony and Mcgee looked at each other. Ziva was being quiet? Something was wrong. Very wrong. Tony and Mcgee were almost scared. They had never seen Ziva act like this. What was up?

Gibbs walked into the bullpen. He took one look at Ziva and practically exploded.

"Go home." he said. "Eat, drink, sleep and don't come back until you are better."

Ziva gave him a look which clearly said 'go get stuffed cos I'm NOT going home.' Gibbs sighed. Why was Ziva so difficult sometimes?

"Go see Ducky." Gibbs ordered with practised harshness. Ziva wilted under Gibbs' stare and trailed down to autopsy.

"What the hell was up with her?" asked Tony.

"Mcgee?" said Gibbs.

"Yes boss?"

"See if Ziva has recently been admitted to hospital."

"Smart thinking boss." said Dinozzo giving him a thumbs up. Gibbs gave him one of his famous glares. Tony shut up immediately. Mcgee typed intensely on his keyboard.

"Um… Boss, Ziva was admitted to hospital last Saturday evening." There was a long pause.

"Mcgee. I'm waiting to know why." Gibbs scowled.

"Oh sorry boss. Um... multiple minor stab wounds."

"Stab wounds." he said thoughtfully. Tony imitated his look.

"DINOZZO!" Shouted Gibbs. Tony shrank back into his chair and tried to make it look as though he was working. He was not successful.

"What was the cause?" asked Gibbs.

"Uh… cause unknown boss."

Gibbs wandered off somewhere.

"Multiple minor stab wounds?" asked Mcgee.

"Yeah." Said Tony in a patronising voice.

"Ziva wouldn't let someone stab her. Would she?"

"Yeah. I didn't think of that." Said Tony, sarcastically.

"But Tony. What do you think happened?" replied Mcgee smiling; He was pleased he had thought of something Tony had not.

"I don't know Mcgee." Sighed Tony. "But I do know that Ziva doesn't want us to know so we will wait for Gibbs to find out and tell us."

"You're not normally this understanding Tony" said Mcgee curiously. He was now certain the world was going weird. First Ziva, then Gibbs and then Tony. Something weird was happening.

"My charm will wear her down eventually." Said Tony. That was better. The arrogant, bigheaded Tony was back.

"My arse!" replied Mcgee.

* * *

"Now my dear!" said Ducky.

"Aaargh!" said Ziva. Why wouldn't Ducky stop poking her? She was sitting on a table in autopsy. She had a thermometer in her mouth and her blood pressure was being monitored. Ducky always had a field day when he had a live patient.

"Ducky, I am fine." Said Ziva. Her accent was becoming thick because she was so tired. "You have a body to autopsy and I'm getting in the way."

"No. Ziva your body has to be healthy to work. Wasn't that part of your training?"

"Yeah." Sighed Ziva.

She tried to push herself off the table but Ducky pushed her back. She was surprised at how weak she was. She was feeling dizzy. That was probably because of the blood loss. Her muscles felt like cake. For some reason this made her feel scared and defenceless. She was loosing a fight. She had just given up. She would fight another day. Not today. Maybe not tomorrow. However, eventually she would fight. She tried again to get up and managed but stumbled. Ducky caught her before she hit the floor. Gibbs walked through the open doors of the autopsy room to see her fall.

"God Damn it Ziva!" he half shouted. "Go home and rest. Get better!"

Ziva stood unaided and gave him a 'go get stuffed cos I'm NOT going home.' look. She glared defiantly. "I am going to the bullpen – NOT home." She said.

She stumbled through the open doors. Gibbs heard the lift ding and relaxed.

"How is she doing?" he asked.

"She is not well at all Jethro. She is stubborn and will not rest."

"The scar on her face…" he asked.

"Oh yes. Probably caused by a Swiss army knife. It would have caused her immense pain. The poor child. I wonder what happened to her."

Gibbs gave Ducky a strange look.

"Yes. She will recover with rest, food and drink. Don't give her too much to do. It seems that she is starving herself of food and sleep. Her only side effect from the scar is the blood loss, which is causing her dizziness. What actually happened Jethro?"

"I don't know Duck. But I will find out."

"Good because this reminds me of a case that I solved in about 1980. A shocking case. A young girl was worn away and away and away because she did not eat. I had another case…Jethro?" Ducky turned around. Gibbs was not there. Ducky sighed and started putting away his equipment.

"Doctor?" asked Mr Palmer.

"Yes Palmer?" he said.

"Why did the girl in your case stop eating?"

"She was scared of something. We never found out what. She died before she could tell us. She was pretty. Long blonde hair and very rich but she never acted like a spoilt brat. I wish I knew what she was scared of."

"That's really interesting Doctor."

"Yes…Yes…" Ducky trailed off.


	2. Home

2.

Ziva sat at her desk spinning her pen round and round and round. She was bored. Increasingly bored. Gibbs had only given her some reports to type up. Mcgee was backing up case files, she was typing and Tony was making a nuisance of himself.

"So Mc uncool have you ever seen Moulin Rouge?"

"No Tony." sighed Mcgee for the umpteenth time. Tony was quizzing him about the films he had seen.

"Film version of Wuthering Heights?"

"No, the book was boring enough."

"You read the book, Mcgeek? Ah well. I should have known."

"What books have you have you read Tony?" asked Mcgee. He was waiting for Ziva to but in a say 'yeah Tony. Spot the Dog' or 'Tony! I'm amazed.' She didn't. It seemed as though she was in a world of her own.

Many thoughts were running through her head. Why couldn't she trust the team - Gibbs, Mcgee, Tony, Abby and Ducky. She could even go to Jenny. Why didn't she?

Back at Mossad she was the star pupil at not letting her emotions show. She would show no pain, no thought, no sadness and only a bit of happiness. She had passed that bit of the course with flying colours – top of the class.

Thinking back to the time while she was in Israel made her sad. She remembered her best friends and her enemies. Especially that Charlie. He started picking on her and made his first mistake. He said she was too small. She had floored him with one punch in the face and kicked him in the balls for good luck. A tiny smile started to form on her face.

The smile was wiped off her face in a second. Also in Israel were her dad and brother. She wished her dad and brother were here. The sadness inside her started to hurt. Tony and Mcgee looked at her. She glared back at them. They looked away – puzzled.

She thought back to her dad. He always pushed her to become the best. He'd trained her since she was young. If her Mossad instructor saw her now he would have a fit. He would make her run laps and do press-ups. He would scream in her face. She would feel humiliated in front on her friends and put in extra work to make herself stronger. She couldn't stop the tears. They formed in her eyes and she felt one tip over the edge of her eyelid. She grabbed her handbag and ran to the loos.

Tony and Mcgee looked at each other.

"Was she…" started Mcgee.

"Yes Mcgee. The famously tough Mossad agent has just let a tear slip." Said Tony, looking after her puzzled.

"You go!" said Mcgee.

"Why me?" asked Tony.

"She always bursts in on you when you are in the loo."

"Does she?"

"Yes." Pointed out Mcgee.

"I'm not going into the lady's loos."

Mcgee smirked. Gibbs walked into the bullpen. He looked around.

"Where's Ziva?"

"Toilets boss" said Mcgee hoping he wouldn't get shouted at. Gibbs looked puzzled but sat down and carried on with his work.

In the toilets Ziva locked herself in a cubicle. She shoved the loo lid down and sat. She curled up into a ball and cried. She missed her dad so much and the situation she was in did not help. She cried and cried and cried.

Why was she acting like this? She asked herself. Why was she throwing everything she stood for away? She had never been homesick before. It seemed the scar on her face was wearing her down.

She dragged herself up from the loo and opened the cubicle door. She stood in front of the mirror. Ziva looked into the mirror and was surprised at how bad she looked. Her eyes were puffy and had massive dark shadows underneath. Her scar was jagged around the edges and the black thread stood out on her pale, gaunt face. It was clear she hadn't eaten or slept in a while.

While she stared at herself in the mirror she pondered about where to go. She couldn't go back to the bullpen otherwise Tony and Mcgee would stare at her. She couldn't go to autopsy otherwise Ducky would moan at her. She would have to go to Abby's and get cared for.

* * *

The elevator door opened. Ziva stepped into Abby's lab.

"Gibbs I don't have anything for you!" said Abby without turning round. Ziva coughed and Abby turned around.

"OH MY GOD ZIVA WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU!" yelled Abby. Ziva hung her head.

"Nothing." She muttered.

"Come sit down on my couch." Said Abby sympathetically.

Ziva slouched towards the couch and practically collapsed.

"Eat or sleep." Said Abby, "Take your pick."

"Nether." Muttered Ziva.

"Then you need coffee." Said Abby and she rushed off to get some. Ziva felt dizzy. A minute later Abby was back with coffee. Ziva grabbed the cup. Some sloshed on her hands but she didn't care. She took a sip. The coffee felt gross on her tongue. She resisted the urge to spit it out and swallowed it to please Abby. Abby smiled and rushed back to her computer.

"I'm creating a puzzle," said Abby, "for Mcgee to crack. It's a …………"

Ziva fell asleep listening to Abby. An hour later she woke up screaming.

"Ziva. Ziva!" said Abby, "Wake up. Please!"

Ziva sat up groggily.

"You were screaming." Abby explained.

"I was?" asked Ziva. Then her dream came flooded back to her. She lay back down and tried to calm her breathing. She dreamed that her throat was being slit by a Swiss army knife.

She got up when her breathing was fine and went to the bullpen. Luckily the team weren't there. She purposely stayed all night. At seven the next morning Tony walked in to the bullpen.

"You stayed all night?" he asked.

"Yeah." She said groggily.

"You should go home." He said.

Gibbs walked into the bullpen before she could answer back.

"Go home." He said.

Ziva gave him a look which said - 'go get stuffed cos I'm NOT going home.' Gibbs sighed.

The day carried on as normal. She typed and tried to drink coffee. She typed and tried not to think about Israel. She typed and luckily nobody tried to talk to her. At lunch she thought about going home. By the end of the day she had made up her mind.


	3. Mike

3.

Ziva opened the door on her apartment. She stepped in. As she tried to reach for the light switch, a hand slammed over her mouth. She tried to scream and a Swiss army knife dug into her right cheek. Blood dripped down her cheek.

"I'm back Ziva. Your worst nightmare." The guy flung her onto the couch and turned on the light.

"Mike!" Ziva gasped, "I thought you were gone." She said trying to sound surprised.

"Where were you last night?" he asked holding her head in one hand and running the side of the blade down her face.

"Working." Ziva said gasping as the blade edge ran down her throat. It nicked her skin.

Mike looked at her and gave her a kiss before punching her and ripping out her stitches with his knife. The world went black for Ziva. She fell and felt as though her face was burning. Mike grabbed all the money out of her purse and left.

Ziva woke up. She looked at the clock. It was four in the morning. She held her hands up to her face. They came away covered in blood. She suddenly remembered the night before.

"Crap." She said. She remembered the knife. The way Mike had kissed her -then punched her. She had once been in love with the guy and now he was stalking her and trying to kill her very slowly. Blood trickled into her mouth and she got up to go to hospital again.

The doctor at the hospital sighed.

"What have you been up to Miss David?" he asked pronouncing her name wrong.

"It's Da-vied!" said Ziva. "I have been up to nothing." Her accent was heavy and her words were slurring slightly. The doctor gave her a look.

"NOTHING!" she exclaimed.

The doctor didn't believe her but patched her up. He used white thread in her stitches. He made her do simple tests to see if she was concussed. Finally he let her go. She stumbled out of the hospital and went home. When she was home she didn't sleep but just grabbed a bag, put on a polar neck to hide her scar and went work.

Luckily when she got to work nobody was there. She sat down at her desk and took some of the paracetamol the doctor gave her. She waited for the paracetamol to work.

At around six thirty Gibbs walked into the office. One look at her and he grabbed her elbow and dragged her to the corner by the stairs.

"Are you going to tell me what is happening Ziva or will I have to get everyone else to find out?" he asked. Ziva was backed into a corner but could not answer. She saw Jenny out of the corner of her eye but she did not interfere.

"Um…" she said looking for a way to get out. Her head hurt and she felt dizzy so she leaned back into the corner. She felt scared and defenceless. Why her? She asked herself.

"None of your business." she snapped.

"I will make it my business." he said leaning into her.

"It is nothing Gibbs!" Ziva scowled.

"YES IT IS!" bellowed Gibbs. Ziva was slightly shocked. "You turn up to work looking like you are half dead. You think it's nothing?"

"It is nothing you need to know." said Ziva looking back into his eyes. Gibbs stared back ferociously.

"There was this boy…" she started. Gibbs glared. "We well uh….Then it all went kind of wrong. I dumped him and ever since he has been stalking me."

"With a Swiss army knife." Said Gibbs running a finger across the scar on her cheek. "Has he hurt you anywhere else?" he asked.

Ziva hesitated too long so Gibbs knew that she was hurt. He studied here polar neck and then pulled the neck down. He saw the scar on her neck. His fists clenched.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded.

"I was going too!" protested Ziva. Gibbs glared at her.

"I thought I could handle it." Ziva said weakly.

"Have you seen the state of yourself?" he asked.

"Yes." She muttered.

"Who is this bastard?" he asked.

"Mike Esglade."

Tony and Mcgee stared at Mike Esglade's drivers licence. Gibbs had told them what had happened to Ziva.

"I don't understand." Mcgee said.

"Why Mcgoo?" asked Tony.

"Why would Ziva let someone stab her?" he asked choosing to ignore the 'Mcgoo' remark.

"I dunno." Said Tony. He was puzzled too. He was a little hurt too knowing that Ziva did not tell him. He was a little annoyed that Ziva would go out with the guy on the screen. Girls would call the guy fit. Guys would call the guy an idiot.

Gibbs walked into the bullpen with Ziva. She paused a moment at the screen. She stared at Mike's picture. There was something about his eyes. They were a piercing green and seemed to stare at you until they swallowed you up. His hair was a brilliant blonde. His teeth had obviously been whitened.

"Ziva." Said Gibbs breaking her thoughts. She turned back to him at sat at her desk. Gibbs pulled up a chair opposite her.

"Where does he live?" he asked.

"Number ten, Flamingo Apartments, Bird Road." Ziva said.

"I knew a girl who lived there once." Said Tony.

"Why doesn't that surprise me." Muttered Mcgee under his breath.

"Gear up! Lets go get that bastard." he said. Everyone grabbed their gear and ran to the elevator. Gibbs leaned over and grabbed his gun and badge. As he moved to go to the elevator, Jenny stopped him.

"Gibbs." Jenny said. Gibbs looked at her. "No making this personal."

"Would I ever do that?" asked Gibbs innocently. Jenny looked at him. "Ok. Ok." He said, "No making it personal."

Gibbs went to the elevator. Jenny stared after him. She was worried. Gibbs had a history of making things personal. Things about kids and his team. This was going to be about ninety percent personal.


	4. Dreams

4.

Gibbs ran around the corner of the hallway outside of Mike's apartment with his gun at the ready. Ziva, Tony and Mcgee followed him.

"Federal Agents! Here with warrants!" He shouted through the door. "Open Up!"

"We don't have a warrant." Mcgee whispered to Tony.

"Old Technique to bring out a suspect." Whispered Tony back.

"Are you ok?" Gibbs asked Ziva.

"Yeah." She said. She was really nervous. She was still feeling dizzy and her stomach and head hurt but she was not going to admit that to Gibbs. Especially not at a time like this. It reminded her of the time when she had to arrest in of her best friends who was plotting to blow up a town.

The bolt on the door slowly slid open. The door creaked as it swung open. Mike Esglade opened the door. He was shocked to see four federal agents with guns pointing at him. He saw Ziva and ran back through his apartment. Tony, Mcgee and Gibbs chased after him. Ziva slumped against the wall. What was up with her? She asked herself. She felt faint and the world was spinning.

Mike jumped over a sofa and Tony followed suite. Gibbs just barged through it and Mcgee went around it.

"GET BACK HERE!" bellowed Gibbs.

Mike raced through a pair of open sliding doors out onto his balcony.

"I'll jump!" he warned. Gibbs and Tony looked at each other and nodded. Gibbs dived and grabbed Mike's legs and Tony head butted him. Mcgee locked a pair of handcuffs onto Mike. He wailed desperately as he was read his rights.

"Nice work boss." Said Tony happily.

"Where's Ziva?" Gibbs asked looking round. Tony and Mcgee looked round. Ziva was not on the balcony.

Gibbs ran back through the apartment. He saw Ziva lying on the floor near the doorway.

"Tony!" yelled Gibbs.

"Yes boss." Said Tony whilst swaggering through the door with Mike.

"Call an ambulance." He said staring down at Ziva on the floor.

* * *

"She is not well." Said the doctor.

"I know." Scowled Gibbs.

"She needs to rest and eat." Said the doctor.

"I know." Scowled Gibbs.

"And she needs some support."

"I know."

"Otherwise she won't get better."

"I know."

"Bring her back to hospital if she has any problems."

"I know…Wait you're discharging her?"

"Yes. She asked to."

Gibbs stormed off back to Ziva's bed leaving the doctor standing in the corridor. The doctor stared after him puzzled.

"ZIVA!" Gibbs yelled as he stormed into the room.

"Yes." She said wearily as he stared down at her.

"You. Are. Not. Going. Home! " he said slowly.

"Yes I am." She said looking thoroughly put out.

"No you are not." He said.

"Yes I am." She said getting up to prove it.

"I am not letting you out of my sight." Gibbs sighed knowing he had lost his battle.

* * *

Gibbs walked into the bullpen dragging Ziva behind him.

"Sit there." He said shoving Ziva into her chair. "Eat." He said putting a box of chow mein onto her desk. "Sleep." He said chucking a pillow at her. Then he stomped to his desk and sat down. Tony and Mcgee stared at Ziva. She glared back at them and they went back to work.

Ziva put a mouthful of chow mein in her mouth and swallowed. It did not taste good. Her tongue felt like leather. She grabbed a bottle of water and drank half of it in one go. Then she took some paracetamol for good measure. Soon she drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

_**She ran along the lush, green fields towards her father and brother. Towards her best friends and enemies. Behind her was Gibbs, Tony, Mcgee, Abby, Ducky, Palmer and Jenny. She stopped and turned around and around not sure which way to go. The world started spinning and she felt faint. Suddenly Mike, who was holding a Swiss Army Knife, pounced on her and she felt the hard cold blade on her throat. She gasped and Mike's brilliant green eyes became lakes as the knife dug into her throat.**_

"Ziva!" shouted Gibbs.

"No!" she said dizzily holding up her arms. She was still trapped in her dream.

"It's me Ziva." Said Gibbs. She looked up at him and burst into tears. He hugged her and she cried and cried and cried.

"You were screaming." He said, "Do you want to tell me about anything?"

"It was awful Gibbs." She said. "I didn't know whether to choose between my life in Israel or the one in America. The Mike pounced on me and slit my throat."

Gibbs looked into her eyes stony faced.

"Choose whatever you feel right with." He said and hugged her once again.


	5. Dad

5.

Ziva was better now. She was no longer thin and pale. She no longer felt dizzy. She had spoken to the doctor about getting skin grafts for her scars. The only problem was a hole in her heart. She had loved that guy but he had abused her. She missed her family and friends in Israel. Tony and Mcgee were now really cautious around her. She did not feel like speaking.

Now she just sat at her desk and typed. No new cases had come up and she was getting bored. Mcgee had solved the puzzle Abby had made for him and she was working on another one. Ducky was reviewing an old case. Tony and Mcgee were flicking paper at each other. Gibbs was being his normal self- talking to the director a lot and drinking LOTS of coffee. She was the only one who had nothing to do. She had a book to read but it was long and daunting and she really couldn't face it.

She thought about calling her dad but she didn't really want to. She was worried about what he might say. Now she needed to find something to fill up her time.

Gibbs walked into the bullpen.

"Grab your gear." He said grinning. Everyone smiled.

Tony jumped up and down shouting, "Hip Hip Hooray!"

Mcgee muttered, "Finally!"

Ziva picked up her stuff mutely and walked out to the elevator.

"She has a problem." Whispered Tony to Mcgee.

"Tell me about it. She has been silent ever since we nabbed Mike."

The rest of the team ran to the elevator.

It turned out to be a normal boring case. The local police had already caught the guy and Ducky just had to pick up the body. Ziva span her pen around and around and around. Tony chucked paper at Mcgee and Gibbs drank coffee. It was a normal boring day.

Her hand hovered over her phone. Should she call her dad or not? Not.

The rest of the day passed slowly. Type, drink, type, eat, type, sleep, type, drink, type………………. Finally the day ended. It was just her and Gibbs left.

"You should call him." Said Gibbs.

Ziva looked up surprised. It was almost as if he could read her thought. "Who?" she asked.

"Your dad." Said Gibbs staring at her.

"Gibbs." Said Ziva, "I can't."

"Yes you can. The time is right over there."

"Gibbs. He is my father. He will not want me to be weak and call him."

"He will want to hear from his daughter. Take the advice from a father."

"Kelly?" said Ziva surprised Gibbs would mention his daughter.

"Yes. I wanted to hear from her." He said. He looked sad at the memory of his daughter.

Gibbs grabbed his coffee cup and walked to the elevator. Ziva hesitated before picking up the phone and dialing.

"Dad?"


	6. Hospital

6.

Ziva walked out of the building with a smile on her face. She felt happy and free for the first time in ages. Her dad had been happy to talk to her and they had spent a good hour talking about the old times and what had happened in Israel. He was a little cross when he had heard what had happened between her and Mike. He said that she should trust her friends. Ziva was a little apprehensive but eventually promised to trust her friends. She kept her fingers crossed just in case though.

Today Ziva had decided not to take her car. She liked walking and the fresh air helped her clear her mind. She walked across the car park, breathing deeply. It was a dark and foggy night. To get to her house she had to take the back alleys. She did not mind and she could protect herself. Tonight and the past week had been an exception. Her nerves had been in overdrive and she had not been her normal self. Her mind had been wrapped in thoughts and she did not notice many things, which she should.

She turned the corner into an alley. It was not lit and full of dustbins. Ziva was still deep in her thoughts about her father and did not notice someone sneaking up behind her. She gasped as a hand slammed into her mouth and she was bundled up against the wall. She turned slightly to face her attacker and let out a strangled scream.

"Hello, sweetheart." Growled Mike.

How was Mike back? Ziva asked herself. He was meant to be in prison. Who released him?

"Guess what?" asked Mike menacingly.

"What?" croaked Ziva as Mike loosened the grip on her mouth.

"I'm out on bail." Said Mike, smirking.

Ziva looked down, her hope of getting out of this alive sinking. Mike stroked her hair and then pulled out his Swiss army knife. Ziva was now terrified. Mike leaned closer into her.

"And now I'm going to kill you." Mike said, scraping the knife down her face and her body, slitting the fabric of her top and jeans and scarring her body. The blood trickled down her. It was hot and sticky. She tasted its metallic taste on her tongue and urged herself not to choke. Then he kissed her again. However, this kiss was harsher, more powerful and colder. Something in this kiss gave Ziva the strength to fight back.

"No. You won't!" Ziva croaked, her confidence growing. Then she kicked him in the balls. He fell, groaning. Ziva punched him with a right hook and his head snapped back. She grabbed the Swiss army knife and stabbed it into his thigh. Then she shoved him sideways and he clattered into the bins, unconscious. She ran back to the NCIS building. She had not run in a long time and the oxygen pumping through her body felt beautiful.

She slammed through the doors. Security gave her an odd look as she streaked through the building. She skidded into the bullpen, hoping that Gibbs was still there. He was. Thank goodness! Gibbs gaped.

"Mike's back!" said Ziva.

"That bastard." Gibbs sighed, grabbing his gun and badge.

"He is lying unconscious in a back alley. Come quick!"

Ziva and Gibbs ran into the alley. Mike was gone. So was the knife."We can't see anything!" Ziva gasped as she fell on her knees, clutching her side. Gibbs clutched her to himself. It was raining. He looked up to the sky, and could not see anything because of the fog. It was a horrible night and Ziva was unconscious in his arms because of that bastard. He was going to kill Mike when he saw him again.

* * *

Gibbs turned the corner in the corridor at the hospital. He turned and glared at the receptionist. His encounters with hospital receptionists did not end well. He had ridden with Ziva in the ambulance but they had kicked him out when they were wheeling her into a room.

"Why can I not see Ziva David?" he asked for the fourth time.

"You are not family." The receptionist scowled. "So I can not let you in." she said. "Now can you sit down again sir!"

Gibbs scowled and skulked back to his seat in the waiting room. He went through all his normal plans to see a patient but he could not see any of them working. A different receptionist came on duty. Gibbs smiled as a plan came into his head. He walked up to the receptionist and put his plan into action.

"I need to see Ziva David." He said wondering which relative he could pass for.

"She is in private room sixteen." Said the receptionist. "Only relatives are allowed in to see her."

"I am her uncle." Said Gibbs.

"You do not look Israeli." Said the receptionist, looking at him inquisitively.

"Different mother to her dad." Said Gibbs trying to sound convincing.

The receptionist gave him a funny look but waved him through. Gibbs sighed as he rushed to meet Ziva.

He ran round the corner and dashed into Ziva's room. He threw back the curtain and rushed to her side.

"Are you ok?" he demanded.

"I am fine Gibbs. How are we going to find Mike?" she demanded in a strangled voice.

"You are not going to find Mike. Tony, McGee and I are. You are going to rest."

Ziva gave him another 'go get stuffed cos….' Look. Gibbs knew he was fighting a losing battle and sighed.

"Same conditions as last time." He said glaring at her. Ziva got up and walked up to the front desk with Gibbs following her.

"Can I discharge myself?" she asked the receptionist.

* * *

An hour later Ziva sat at her desk with her head on the pillow and an empty chow Mein box on her desk. She was just starting to drift into an uneasy sleep. For some reason her dreams had become troubled again.

_**Ziva ran through the meadows again. This time **__**Gibbs, Tony, McGee, Abby, Ducky, Palmer and Jenny**_ _**were running with her. All her friends and enemies from Iraq were running with her too. They were running towards Mike who was holding his knife. They were following a blood trail towards him. Then she tripped and fell. The world went black and then a piercing green – the same green as Mike's eyes.**_

"Ziva!" said Gibbs as he shook her shoulder. Ziva winced as she was dragged back into reality. "You were screaming again!" he said.

It took Ziva a while to remember her dream. "I know how to find Mike!" she gasped. Gibbs looked at her expectantly. "We follow the blood trail!"

Gibbs, Tony and McGee looked at her as if she was bonkers. "Um Ziva. I hate to break it to you but you are crazy." Said Tony.

"I stabbed Mike!" said Ziva, "So there will be a trail of blood to wherever he went!"

"Tony. I don't think she is crazy." Said McGee.

"Grab your gear!" said Gibbs, heading towards the elevator.


End file.
